The present invention relates generally to archery equipment and, more particularly, to an arrow rest for guiding and supporting an arrow on an archery bow. The purpose of this invention is to provide a means for retaining an arrow in position continuously on a bow, as the bow is carried in the drawn position. Arrow supporting devices or arrow rests are well known to those skilled in the art. The arrow rest provides several important functions for the archer. Initially, the arrow rest supports an arrow prior to a shooting position and guiding the arrow toward the target after it has been released from the bow string. In addition, the arrow rest must cause a minimal amount of frictional resistance to the arrow as it is released from the bow, and minimal damage to the arrow shaft or fletching.
In addition, the arrow rest will ideally support the arrow in a drawn position when the bow is tilted or rotated radially which is often the case during hunting. In this situation the mid-section of the arrow may slip from the arrow rest invariably causing the hunter to miss the target.
Although some prior art devices as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,691,974, 3,244,161, 5,042,450 and 5,896,849 provide radial support of the arrow shaft, such devices have proven to be less than satisfactory. In particular, such devices impart severe frictional resistance to the passage of the arrow unless the fletching is oriented rather precisely to the radial openings in the arrow rest.
Thus, the present invention has been developed to overcome these problems and other shortcomings of the prior art devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,974 to Nelson teaches an automatic arrow rest that positions itself out of the way after the arrow has left the rest. The Nelson reference discloses a yoke having spaced parallel shafts extended therefrom carried by the lever, and rollers journaled on the shafts of the yoke whereby an arrow in a shooting position extends between the rollers. However, the Nelson reference does not disclose an arrow gripping element which comprises a cylindrical ring made of a resilient, high friction material which rotates from a perpendicular position to grip the arrow as the bow is drawn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,161 to Jenson teaches a spring bias ring arrow rest.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,450 teaches a spring arrow support that allows the arrow and fletches to clear the circular guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,849 to Branthwaite teaches an arrow rest which provides an inverted coil brush comprising a disc shaped structure having a plurality of radially disposed, inwardly projecting bristles forming a central opening wherein the arrow shaft is radially supported.